3 out of 4 stars
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Brimstone is a teenage battlemage leading a revolution. He did not intentionally set out for this path, but he continues on it regardless and allows only a select few join Crimson, his team of followers. Over the course of just a few years, Brimstone goes from an untalented child to a powerful mage, but his mage powers are unlike anyone else's. Instead of controlling the elements, he simply is immune to magic. This initial installment chronicles his young life, alternating between Brimstone's solo journey and that of his peers searching for him.
Victor Rose's debut novel End of the Last Great Kingdom starts with a history of this world, focusing on the evolution and blending of races that has lead to the current society. After taking the blame for a tragic accident, the ruling government sends Brimstone to prison. He makes several connections along the way, proving to those he meets that he is not the monster that those in power make him out to be. It is a coming of age story for several characters, including the protagonist and his close friends Heat and Neutron.
I do not frequently read many fantasy novels, especially not those featuring elves and mages, but when Online Book Club featured it as Book of the Day, I knew this book was different. I have tried several high fantasy novels, few of which hold my attention. Rose has accomplished something that several other authors have been unable to do for me, and I applaud his success. The world-building is exceptional; Rose explains the past in a way that is easy for readers to understand while making it full of life.
I struggled to find any reason to dislike this novel. The guidelines for rating state that reviewers cannot give any book with ten or more errors a perfect score. This regulation is unfortunate for Rose's novel because I was almost finished with the book when I found the tenth error. These errors are minor, usually misused punctuation errors or excessive indents, and they did not impact my enjoyment. Another complaint is that the descriptions are confusing. There were times that I did not comprehend what Rose was trying to describe, but I blame that on my own lack of creativity. I also feel like there is more potential to be unlocked because the beginning is not revisited, but I hope that the next book in the series fixes it.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. I would rate it higher, but the rating guidelines prevent it because there are at least ten editing errors. I would recommend this book to fans of high fantasy, epic adventures, and coming-of-age stories. While teens would likely have no issue with some of the situations encountered, I would not recommend it for younger readers because of the violence and mild language. I would also recommend it to those that are new to the fantasy genre—fantasy can be intimidating with the expansive worlds, but Rose's work is approachable, easy to read, and highly relatable.
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End of the Last Great Kingdom
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